This invention relates to connectors, and in particular to connectors for connecting the expiratory tube of a breathing circuit to a ventilator.
A medical breathing circuit includes an inspiratory gases tube and an expiratory gases tube. The inspiratory tube has one end thereof connected to the patient, for example through an endotracheal breathing tube extending into the trachea and ending just above the lungs. The other end thereof connected to a ventilator. The connection to the ventilator may be direct or a self contained humidifier may be interposed. The expiratory tube is connected at one end to the end otracheal tube, and at the other end to the ventilator. The ventilator, running in xe2x80x9cpressure support/controlxe2x80x9d or xe2x80x9cvolume support/control xe2x80x9d modes, carefully controls the pressure of the gas supplied to the inspiratory tube to control the patient breathing, and maintains a positive airway pressure at all times to ensure lung inflation. An unfortunate consequence arises when the expiratory tube becomes detached from the ventilator, as the ventilator increases the supply flow rate in response to the sudden loss of pressure in the breathing circuit. The air supply becomes at once inefficient, and the increased turbulence of the higher flow level causes a more effective heat transfer from the heating system, and causes the inspiratory gases to be raised to a higher temperature than is otherwise desirable. Flow rates of about 0.5 to 10 liters per minute would be typical of such a circuit when used in a neonatal breathing circuit.
It is an object of the invention to provide a connector for the expiratovy tube of a breathing circuit which will obviate the above disadvantage or will at least provide healthcare providers with a useful choice.
In a first aspect, the invention includes a main body having a breathing gases passageway extending therethrough, connection means at one end of the passageway configured to engage with the expiratory tube connection of a ventilator, the other end of the passageway being connected or connectable to the expiratory tube of a breathing circuit, and flow restriction means associated with the connection means, for substantially closing off the breathing gases passageway upon disconnection of the connection means from the expiratory tube connection of a ventilator.
In a further aspect, the invention is a connector for series connection within the expiratory flow path of a breathing circuit. The connector includes a main body having a breathing gases passageway extending therethrough, connection means at one end of the passageway configured to engage with a connector of a subsequent component in the breathing circuit and the other end of the passageway being connected or connectable to a previous component in the breathing circuit; and flow restriction means associated with the connection means, for substantially but not completely closing off the breathing gases passageway upon disconnection of the connection means from the subsequent component connector.
To those skilled in the art to which the invention relates, many changes in construction and widely differing embodiments and applications of the invention will suggest themselves without departing from the scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims. The disclosures and the descriptions herein are purely illustrative and are not intended to be in any sense limiting.